The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future
Shyam Ramanathan
Senior Client Executive | Senior Global Client Partner | Driving Growth for Clients| AI & Digital Transformation |Business Development Executive| P&L & Strategy Expert | Client-Centric Rainmaker | Global Leadership
The future is truly hard to predict and we have seen so many experts predictions go awry. This is where Kevin Kelly steps in. His latest book Inevitable is a wonderful read and offers some insight into the future. He has identified 12 inevitable forces that will shape the future. Here they are.
Becoming
Everything is being upgraded incessantly. Every single week we receive upgrades on every technology app we have. So the features keep changing over time in other words they are becoming. The main thesis is the most important products or technologies of the future haven’t been invented yet.
Cognifying
This chapter was all about artificial intelligence and it is going to play a major role in the future going forward. For example Google bought DeepMind and it can play video games on its own. Machine learning is the future and we don’t know yet which industries or jobs will be impacted. The three breakthroughs related to AI are cheap parallel computation, big data, and better algorithms. AI will only continue to be the field of interest for decades to come.
Flowing
We are in a world where there are constant updates to everything. The internet is open to everyone and information flows ceaselessly. Everything happens in real time even money we put in the bank is immediately available for withdrawal. You need to sell things that cannot be copied. Attributes such as immediacy, personalization, interpretation, authenticity and accessibility are discussed here.
Screening
Everything we do in our world is done on a screen. The entire future is on the screen. Even books are read now on screens and it is a force to reckon with in the future.
Accessing
The key is not about what you possess but what you have access to. Here five technological trends are discussed. They are dematerialization which means things are being produced with fewer materials, Real-Time on Demand which is a way to deliver things, decentralization, platform synergy and clouds.
Sharing
Everything is being shared now across all social platforms. Of course it is great we have the ability to share our thoughts through blogs. We also share our personal lives on Facebook and Instagram.
Filtering
This is basically the concept that what choices you make to filter the enormous content available. If information is the key to success then everyone in the world should be successful. We have more access to information than we could have dreamed of but it is how we curate the information that is the key. For example the news feed on Facebook is filtered based on your choices.
Remixing
The best form of creativity is to remix old ideas in new ways. There are more permutations and combinations possible to innovate incessantly.
Interacting
This chapter is all about Virtual Reality. It is on the cusp of being adopted by the masses. Of course in the future the Internet of Things will be in big play and every device will interact with each other.
Tracking
We love Fitbit and love tracking every step of ours. Every single thing we do is already being tracked by some company somewhere some of it which we are not even aware of. So you can also track your blood pressure for example throughout the day and even if there is a small deviation you will get alerted to pay a doctor visit.
Questioning
The main thesis of this chapter is we should get used to expecting impossible things to happen. The key is to keep an open mind and not be rigid with any one line of thinking. Always be curious and ask intelligent questions.
Beginning
This is truly the cusp of a new beginning. It is impossible to know what can happen in the future. With two young kids I often think what will be the future job market when they graduate. There will always be new industries that are created.
There you have it the 12 inevitable forces that will shape our future. Kevin Kelly is a true visionary. His other book What Technology Wants was equally good. I hope you enjoyed reading this review.
The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.